Bhai Tika – Last Day of Tihar

During the marvelous autumn months, Kathmandu is alive with festivities, including the Festival of Lights, Deepawali (Tihar).

This vibrant festival spans five days, during which people express their joy by lighting diyas (small clay oil lamps), decorating their homes with intricate, colorful rangolis made from rice, paint, and chalk, and immersing themselves in the festive spirit.

The culmination of this grand celebration is Bhai Tika, a day that revolves around love, rituals, reverence, and the sacred bond between brothers and sisters.

The Sacred Bond of Bhai Tika

Bhai Tika is a significant occasion that honors the emotional and holy connection between brothers and sisters. It is marked by the performance of special prayers for the brother’s long life, prosperity, and well-being.

The day is filled with beautiful rituals, prayers, and the application of the symbolic “bhai tika,” reaffirming the bond of protection and love that sisters offer to their brothers.

The Legend Behind Bhai Tika

The origins of Bhai Tika trace back to the legend of King Bali Hang and his sister, Jamuna. According to folklore, when King Bali Hang fell gravely ill, his sister lovingly cared for him.

When Yamaraj, the God of Death, came to take Bali Hang’s soul, Jamuna begged Yamaraj to wait until she had completed her prayers and rituals.

She conducted an elaborate ceremony and made a powerful plea that Yamaraj not claim her brother’s life until the tika on his forehead faded, the water she sprinkled on him dried, and the flowers she offered wilted.

Over time, Yamaraj sent his messengers to inspect the flowers, but by the next Bhai Tika, Jamuna had successfully prolonged her brother’s life.

Impressed by her devotion, Yamaraj granted Bali Hang long life, and this act of selfless love is reenacted each year during Bhai Tika.

Bhai Tika Rituals

On Bhai Tika, sisters perform rituals to ensure their brothers are blessed with long life, protection from evil, and prosperity. The ceremony begins with the sister drawing three mandaps (sacred spaces) for Lord Ganesh, Janmaraj (the God of Birth), and Yamaraj.

She then performs a puja (ritual worship) for these deities before requesting her brother to sit for the tika ceremony.

During the ceremony, the sister encircles her brother with a protective boundary made of oil and holy water, symbolically keeping death and evil spirits at bay.

She worships him with offerings of flowers, nuts, fruits, and rice amidst the lighting of wicks and incense. Before applying the tika, the sister breaks walnuts, which symbolize the smashing of Yamaraj’s influence.

The highlight of the ritual is the application of the “saat rangi tika” or seven-colored tika, which represents the colors of the rainbow. To apply the tika, the sister places a banana leaf on her brother’s forehead, followed by a rice paste base.

She then applies seven different colors on top of the base. This rainbow-colored tika signifies protection, prosperity, and a long life. Afterward, she places a flower garland around her brother’s neck and prays for his well-being.

The Invocation

As the tika is applied, sisters recite invocations to protect their brothers from harm. One such prayer is:

“Thus do I mark my brother’s forehead and thereby plant a thorn at the Door of Yamaraj, making entrance into death impossible. As Jamuna streaked the forehead of her brother, so I do my brother’s. As Yamaraj is immortal, so may my brother also be immortal.”

Another invocation often recited is:

“May your life be as long as the nut-flower remains unfading, your body hard as a walnut, and your heart as soft as butter.”

The Joyful Celebration

Once the rituals are complete, the family comes together for a celebratory feast. Sisters treat their brothers to a sumptuous meal and present them with gifts, including a special shagun of fruits and sweets.

In return, brothers shower their sisters with gifts, cash, and heartfelt appreciation. The atmosphere is filled with joy, songs, and dances as families and relatives join in the festivities. It is a day of reunions, laughter, and deep emotional connections.

Bhai Tika for Those Without Siblings

For those who do not have a brother or sister, the Yamarajleswor Temple at Rani Pokhari in Kathmandu becomes a place of solace. On Bhai Tika, the temple opens its doors exclusively for worshipers who come to receive tika and honor the brother-sister bond.

The temple remains closed throughout the year, except for this one auspicious day.

A Timeless Celebration

Bhai Tika not only strengthens familial bonds but also serves as a reminder of the eternal cycle of love and protection between siblings. Each year, Yamaraj is symbolically warded off with the tika, flowers, and holy water, and the bond between brothers and sisters is renewed once more.

This ritual ensures the brothers’ long life, happiness, and prosperity for the coming year, until the cycle is repeated again in the following Bhai Tika.

In conclusion, Bhai Tika is a day steeped in tradition, love, and devotion. It is a joyous celebration of the enduring connection between brothers and sisters, filled with rituals that carry deep symbolic meanings.

The festival not only honors the sacred bond of siblings but also reaffirms the importance of family unity and protection, making it a cherished occasion in Nepali culture.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bhai Tika